THE CLOCK IS winding down. There is a long stretch of field Penncrest has to cross to win. There's hardly room for error or indecision. It's no time for nerves to rattle your thoughts. In the last 2 years, that has been Matt Atkinson's time.

The 6-1, 175-pound senior quarterback adds a dimension to Penncrest (2-1), which not only makes the Lions one of the area's most potent offenses, it also always keeps them in contention, no matter who the opponent is.

In three games, Atkinson has thrown for 562 yards and five touchdowns. He's also the hub of an offense averaging a Delaware County-high of 39 points and more than 400 yards of total offense per game.

But more significantly, Atkinson has seemed to master the touchy time when a team is down and it's up to the quarterback to pull off some final-minute heroics to win games. He led the Lions to four fourthquarter comebacks last year, and was on his way to another in the opener this year when he threw his only interception of the season at the goal line in a 40-37 loss to Downingtown West.

"This year, the game has really slowed down a lot," said Atkinson, who has thrown for 22 touchdowns against seven interceptions and is 10-4 as a starter the last 2 years. "I've seen things more than once, so I know how to react to situations. I guess it is much more mental than it is physical, because knowing the game more really helps you. I think I learned in that first game against Downingtown West, but I think I learned more last year. Our focus this year is scoring a touchdown every time we're in the red zone. We don't want to waste that yardage for nothing."

Atkinson - nephew of Al Atkinson, the former Monsignor Bonner and Villanova star who played middle linebacker for the Super Bowl III champion New York Jets - makes the Lions a difficult team to stop, with the combination of his passing and the rushing threat of senior tailback Jerry Boyer.

"That makes my job a lot easier," Penncrest coach Paul Graham said. "Matt's completing passes at a 70 percent clip, and if we can keep that number where it is, we'll be OK. The way we play offense, he just doesn't turn around and hand the ball to someone. We ask Matt to constantly read and he understands a lot about the offense. It really is a credit to him and his study of the game and the time he puts in."

The next few steps for Atkinson, hopefully, is directing Penncrest for a long stay in the PIAA Class AAAA District 1 playoffs, and gaining the attention of a college in need of an icewater-in-his-veins quarterback during crunch time.

"That's what I'm hoping for, but so far no colleges have called yet," Atkinson said. "I definitely want to play college football and I know I'm not done growing, because my two older brothers are all over 6-1. Right now, I have to continue doing what we're doing and hopefully that will get me some attention. My attitude is to always keep us in the game. I'm someone who likes to think he can't be proved wrong. I'll cheat in Madden, if I could, to win."

Typical Ridley kid

It's not meant in a derogatory way. But ask any Delaware County high school football coach about any one player on Ridley's football team year after year and a common response is, "He's a typical Ridley kid." For those outsiders, it's a hardnosed, take-no-guff, hardhat mentality that embodies what is usually a successful, undersized player.

Perhaps no player illustates that more than 5-9 (if you stretch him), 160-pound senior cornerback/wide receiver Alex Nicolino, who's among Delaware County's leaders in interceptions (three) and is one of the hardest-hitting defenders in the area.

It all comes as part of the package of being the quintessential "typical Ridley kid."

"I get it all of the time, people on the field see me and don't think I can do the job because they see me as being small," said Nicolino, whose older brother, Rocco, started for the Green Raiders 3 years ago. Nicolino also has five catches, including two touchdowns. "Size doesn't matter to me," he said. "I like it when people think they can roll over me. Once the game starts, that changes."

Green Raiders coach Dennis Decker knows the kind of player Nicolino is. Decker is a Ridley graduate who has seen more than his share of Ridley players who fit Nicolino's description.

"Alex is the kind of kid who isn't intimidated by anyone; it doesn't matter if they're bigger, stronger, faster, Alex is going to try to knock their head off," Decker said. "You have to live up to what past Ridley players have lived up to, where a lot of people rely on you and expect a lot out of you. Alex has that under his own roof with his brother Rocco, who was a great player here. I'm sure Rocco is telling Alex what he did in high school. Alex plays with that chip on his shoulder, not that he has to prove anyone wrong."

But Nicolino usually does any way.i

Delco 7

Ranking the top Delaware County football teams playing in the Delco leagues.

1. Ridley (3-0) Weeks rated: 3. Last week: No. 2

2. Penncrest (2-1) Weeks rated: 3. Last week: No. 3

3. Garnet Valley (2-1) Weeks rated: 3. Last week: No. 1

4. Strath Haven (3-0) Weeks rated: 3. Last week: No. 4

5. Penn Wood (3-0) Weeks rated: 3. Last week: No. 5

6. Interboro (3-0) Weeks rated: 3. Last week: No. 6

7. Academy Park (3-0) Weeks rated: 1. Last week: Unrated